Baker



C. M. STUDEBAKER.

SHIPPING CRATE.

kPPLlCATION FILED JULY 15.1915.

11 9%,680; Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

CHARLES? M. STUDEBAKER, OF L08 MIGELES, CALIFDRNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THERE T0 PAUL BERACKA AND (ENE-THIRD T0 CALIFORNIA;

JOHN norYnRA, BOTH OFLOS ANGELES,

S'HTPPING-CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 115, 19161.

Application filed. July 15, 1915. Serial No. 41,422.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, CHARLEY M. STUDE- BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shipping-Crates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to shipping crates and the primary object thereof is to provide a totally collapsible cratewhich may be adjusted as to its several dimensions and of such character that a minimum amount of space will be required when returning the its limit; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the.

crates to their point of origin after the shipment of goods therein.

A further object is to provide a crate which may be readily accommodated to articles of various character and form without alteration except for the necessary adjustment of its dimensions.

While the nature of my invention adapts it to use in connection with various kinds and character of articles, it is especially adapted to hold some kinds of perishable goods, such as for instance, bananas which are us ually shipped in bags held in wooden rates especially made for the purpose and wnich, on the return to the point of origin in their empty state occupy an equal amount of space as when they are full, thus forming a dead load and occupying space which might otherwise be used for live loads and efiect a great economy in transportation charges.

Other objects may appear in the description following.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a plan of my crate when extended to same which is typical of all of the sides in so'far as the general appearance and arrangement of the slots are concerned; Flg. 3 is a side elevation of the crate when totally collapsed; Fig. 4 is a view of a mod fied form of adjustable brace for the crate; Fig. 5 is a transverse section of Fig. 4 on the line 55; Fig. 6 is a view of another form of brace WlllCll is non-adjustable and designed to hold the crate extended rigidly; Fig. 7 1s a typical sectional view of the connectors with fragments of the side slats shown pivoted thereto; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the upper connectors showing the hooks for hold ng the bags in position in the crate and portions of the slats secured thereto; and Fig. 9 IS a plan view of the lower connectors and slat connections showing the diagonal extension for holding the bottom in position thereon.

My improved crate, as shown, is of necess1ty rectangular in form and comprises four sides, top and bottom which are capable of being simultaneously collapsed and extended to a desired degree, the height thereof being shown as somewhat greater than the widths of the sides, but it may be either greater or less than that shown, and the relative dimensions of the crate may be changed to suit conditions.

Each of the sides of the crate is formed by one or more pairs of diagonal slats as l and 2 which are pivotedtogether in their exact center where they cross and the opposite ends of the slats are pivoted to suitable members on opposite sides of the crate. The ends of the slats are pivotally held by several sets of connectors of similar function but slightly differing in form, the upper connectors 3 and the lower connectors 4 having channels formed between their sides to receive the ends of one pair of slats and the intermediate connectors 5 having substantially wider channels for receiving the ends of two pairs of the slats. As there are only two pairs of slats shown in the drawings for each of the sides, only one set of the intermediate connectors is necessary, but if more than two pairs of slats are used for increasing the height of the crate, more of this type of connectors will necessarily be used.

The lower ends of the lower slats 1 and 2 are pivoted in the channelsof the lower connectors 4 on the rivets 6, and these slats are pivoted together in their center on the rivet 7. The upper ends of the slats l and 2 and the lower ends of the slats 8 and 9 are commonly pivoted on the rivets 10 in the channels of the connectors 5. The slats 8 and 9 are pivoted together in their center on the rivet 11 and their upper ends are pivoted in the channels of the upper connectors 3 on the rivets 12, this arrangement ofslats being typical of the two opposite sides of the crate. The other two sides of the crate are similarly arranged with the slats pivoted together in the center, in pairs, but the ends of the slats are pivoted to the outside of the connectors instead of in thechannels thereof. In this case, the lower ends of the slats 13 and 14 are pivoted to the lower connectors 4 on the rivets 15; the upper ends of the slats 13 and 14 and the lower ends of the slats 16 and 17 are commonly pivoted to the intermediate connectors 5 on rivets 18 and the upper ends of the latter pairs of slats are pivoted to the upper connectors 3 on the rivets 19.

The lower connectors 4 have the diagonally extended inner sides 20 to which are secured the bottom slats 21, one end of each of the slats being permanently secured to one of the connectors by means of rivets 22 and the opposite ends thereof being detachably held on the other two connectors by means of pins 23 carried by chains 24 which are held on the connectors by means of suitable eye screws 25. The free ends of the diagonal bottom slats are provided with a plurality of perforations to receive the pins 23 for the purpose of adjusting the bottom to dilferent dimensions, and the extensions 20 of the connectors 4 are provided with a single perforation to receive the pin, as shown in Fig. 1. These bottom slats are preferably twisted, as shown, in order to form a flat bottom and while they are crossed in the center, they are not secured together, as in the case of the side slats.-

Each side of the crate is provided at its upper end with one of the longitudinal brace bars 26 which is pivotally held at one end on one of the upper connections 3, while the other end thereof has a plurality of elongated slots 27 to receive the end of the flattened pin 28 which is carried by the opposite connector 3, and which, when inserted in one of the slots 27 extends sufficiently beyond the face thereof to receive the lower e d of the retaining pin 29 in a suitable perioration therein. The pins 29 are carried by chains 30 which are secured at one of their ends to the bars 26 by means of screw eyes 31, and the slots in the bars permit of the adjustment transversely and vertically of the crate dimensions, the bars 26, when i the pins 29 are properly inserted in the ends of the pins 28, serving to hold the crate rigidly extended to a desired degree.

A modified form of brace bars is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, this type comprising the two members 32 and 33, the latter telescoping the other. The outer end of the member 32 is pivoted to the upper connector 3 on the rivet 12 as in the case of the other form of bar 26, and the inner end is slidable in the member 33 which has but a single one of the slots 27 for receiving the end of the pin 28. The width of the crate may be adjusted with the use of this bar by means of the movement of the member 33 on the member 32 and a desired relation therebetween may be established by means of a set screw 34 carnectors adjustable brace means ried by the member 33 and adapted to frictionally engage the face of the bar 32.

It is not always necessary that the crates should be adjustable as to their size, and in such event, a single size may always be established by means of the form of bar shown in Fig. 6, a hook 35 being provided and pivoted to the bar on the rivet 36 and the hook end thereof being insertible in the perforation in the pin 28, in lieu of the chained pins 29.

When it is desired to transport some kinds of perishable fruit or articles of other character, such as bananas, a bag 37 is usually provided which is tied at the month by a suitable cord 38, and I provide hooks 39 which are secured to the upper connectors 3 and extend inwardly into the crate, by means of which the bag may be held at its four corners in the crate. The hooks may be secured to the bag by piercing the sides thereof, or suitable eyelets may be secured to the bag for this purpose. Cords may be provided on the bag at one or more points on the four sides, as at 40 in Fig. 2, and these cords may be tied around and over the intersecting portions of the pairs of slats forming the sides of the crates for preventing a movement of the bag in the crate and holding it therein. When the crate is totall collapsed, as shown in Fig. 3, the bag may e retained therein and.folded within the crate, and the brace bars 26, in such case, may be turned downwardly and the diagonal bottom slats 21 turned upwardly inside of the crate, thus making a compact and practically small package.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that my crate may be easily adjusted to any desired size within the limits of its maximum and minimum dimensions, as to height and width, the four sides thereof being equal in all cases, and the addition of one or more pairs of the side slats will increase its scope. A pair of diagonal slats similar to those 21 on the bottom may be pivoted in a like manner to the upper con- 3' for forming a skeleton top for the crate, and in the case of long shipments bolts may be substituted for the pins which hold the crate extended, thus providing a thoroughly practical crate for general pur-- poses.

Having I claim as new and desire Letters for, is: 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a plurality of pivotally connected pairs of slats forming the sides thereof, means for holding the slats in extensible relation, adjustable bottom slats, for holding the frame rigid when extended, and a bag capable of bein firmly held therein.

2. In a evice of the character described,

thus described my invention, what Patent the combination of a frame having extensible sides composed of diagonal members arranged in pairs and the members of each pair being pivotally connected, adjustable bottom members, means for holding the sides of the frame rigidly extended to a desired degree, and means common to and for holding adjacent sides of the' frame together.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame having extensible and pivotally connected sides composed of members arranged in pairs and series of pairs, bottom members adjustable to the movement of the side members, and means for holding the frame extended to a desired degree and for regulating the size thereof.

4.. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame having a. plurality of extensible and collapsible sides composed of pivotally connected pairs of slats, common supporting means for the corners of adjacent sides, top and bottom members capable of adjustment to accommodate the extension of the sides of the frame, adjustable brace means for holding the sides extended to a desired degree and for fixing the size of the frame, a bag in the frame, and means on the frame for firmly holding the bag in position therein.

5. A shipping crate having collapsible sides and bottom composed of diagonal paired members, the members of each of the pairs forming the sides thereof being pivoted together in the center and the ends of adjacent members of the pairs being commonly pivoted, the bottom members being pivoted at the ends and forming braces for the crate, and horizontal braces being provided at the top for adjustably supporting the crate when extended.

6. A shipping crate composed of a plurality of pairs of diagonal slats pivoted together in the center for forming the sides thereof, a plurality of connectors arranged at the corners of the crate for pivotally holding the ends of said slats for rendering the sides extensible as to height and Width, diagonal bottom members permanently pivoted to said connectors at one of their ends and removably connected thereto at the other ends, and horizontal brace members at the top of the crate capable of adjustable connection With said connectors for supporting the sides of the crate in extended relation.

A shipping crate having collapsible sides composed of diagonally disposed and paired slats pivoted together in the center and at the corners, common connecting means for the side members at the corners of the crate, diagonal braces pivoted to said sides and forming a bottom for the crate, means for removably connecting said bottom braces to said corner connecting means, adjustable brace means at the top of the crate for rigidly supporting the sides in extended relation and to a desired degree, and a bag held Within the sides and attached thereto, as described.

8. A shipping crate composed of extensible sides having a plurality of pivotally connected members, common connecting means for the sides at the corners of the crate, rigidly held bottom members for bracing and forming a bottom for the crate, a plurality of horizontal members at the top for connecting and bracing the sides, means for adjustably connecting said braces at the corners of the crate and for holding the sides thereof extended to a desired degree, and a bag insertible in the crate and adapted to be attached to the sides thereof.

Signed at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, and State of California, this 21 day of June, 1915.

CHARLEY M. STUDEBAKER. 

